The Opelousas courier., 1887-11-26
THE REFORM CAMPAIGN.
HOW ITS SUPPORTERS ARE REFUTED BY
THE FACTS.
Effects of Gov. McEnery's Administrator
Upon the Prosperity of the State
Speech of Mr. Alfred Goldthwaite at
Lake Charles.

Az the Democratic mass meeting at Lake
Charles, La, on Saturday, Mr.. Alfred
Goldthwaite. of New Ofrsans, was one of the
speakers who addressed the day meeting.
AIR. G~oldthwaite said:
My Friends and Fellow-citizens OF the State
OF Louisiana-I have consented to address
y& to-day not with the hope that | could in
strict you as to the issues which have been
presented in this campaign, nor with any ey-
pectatlon that L could win any votes for the
cause of Samuel Douglass McEnery. It is
my opinion that it is the duty of every Dem
ocratlc voter IN the Stateof Louisiana to cast
his ballot inteiligently to send delegates to
the convention al Baton Rouge on the j 9th
day OF Januaryn next; to know what is at issue
before the people, and how much of welfare
and prosperity to the people throughout the
length and breadth of this State is involved
IN the selection OF the men to administer our
affairs for the next -four years.
In the representative form OF government
the office-holders receive all their power from
the people and are your servants. You are
the soyereigns, and they are the subjects.
You represent the virtue, the patriotism, the
wealth and intelligence of the State: they are
are to account to you for their administra-
ton. 1t is well to hold public servants to a
strict responsibility. and to require, a full
statement of what they have done and to see
want simple and pure government: admins
tration OF the affairs of this State on the
principles that obtain in the ordinary bust
fRoss Of ~ hf Sid that x6 you bd loek d TOR GfsqlSs 1 1TSm
trust, public discretion, public power, as
you look for results frfm the servants, and
agents to whom you entrust your private
business. Whit o servant undertakes to do
for you, whether he undertakes to do it in a
public or private capacity, ybu ought to de-
mund that it shall be well done Now, in
public affairs. as the business is large. the
relations often mixed and 9ifficnlt to adjust
and harmonize, you look for capacity OF d
high order. You demand MOI only character,
but efficiency, not simply courage but gen.
JUS. 49,. ,
What sRe all desire in Louisians is good
government, wise laws well administered,
bnTERIAL PROGRESS
in happiness and prosperity. We all believe,
without a n exception, l hope, in this VAST
assembly, that She Democratic party will
best promote the efforts we are making to
become q wise, prosperous and happy people.
We may have our family quarrels, we may
call each other hard names, but we still cling
to the Democratic faith, and when the battle
is fought we stand together to fight the COM
mon enemy.
In this campaign there has been more than
ordinary yituperation and calling OF hard
names by the gentlemen who have enlisted
under the banner of Gen. NICHOLS;
Twas early taught that calling little things
by big names did not make them big. Strong
language is usually the argument OF a weak
cause. I cannot believe that Remuneration
and yituperation will win any case before an
intelligent body of men. I have too much
confidence in. and respect for, the, people
who cast the ballots to believe that they, can
be deluded by such methods. The speakers
for Gen. Nichols have spoken OF Gov. Nc:
Emery as if he had created a multitude OF
new offices and sent out swarms OF officers to
harrass the people and eat out their sub
stance. the have framed and Issued 70 Ihe
people q declaration of Independence, setting
forth their grievances, and, Like an army
with banners, saeI-going into all the parishes
of the State. With whom do they wage wal?
own faith, bound to them by every tie. Jointly
interested with them in the welfare and pros
perity of the State. The cry Is reform. Let
us get back the estate which was lefifto US by
our fathers
Let us pause and examine b
THE Get u.
Reform means to re-make. Whatr ls to be
made over? The laws OF g COMMONWEALTH
are but the growth and deveiopHEnt OF 9
people. The statutes OF 2 state aIc passed
portion as the wants multiply and vary q
' diminish. The laws are mo- complained OF,
for they voice the sentiment OF the State and
/ have vigor according TO the public sentiment
behind them, which is always stronger tean
} the laws. / do not understand that there has
been any complaint of the administration Of
could hardly be charged to the Executive.
The Governor, during the seven years that
!. he has exercised the duties of his office. has
l not been derelict in any duty prescribed By
= the Constitution OF the State.
! His duties are prescribed by law and he
Z has acknowledged that he was subject to the
I law. No transgression OF the law has been
charged against him.
3 A responsibility attaches to the Governor
} of this State to recommend to the Genera
. Assembly the consideration OF such meas
ures as he may deem expedien5 He mus
! take care that the laws be faithfully executed
: In his speech at Monroe, when he opened
his campaign, he, with q high sense of hi
Z Z responsibility to the people OF the State Of
Louisiana and as their servant. ana racog
be administered faithfully, gave On accoun
. of the trust 40 it had been administered bJ
him. Whether he be elected or retire to tn
] quiet OF his own home, he will have tn
proud satisfaction of knowing that he hal
given
: 4 FULL ACCOUNT OF HIS STEWARDSHIP, -
: u.ns1,is account has been submitted to tn
4 peopie wtuas-sarvant he was, and SO far no
3 An item has been Challenged or disputed
= Would that every voter in H. State coul
I take that statement, scrutinlze ana Eende
over it. It shows health, wealth and pre-
: gress in our State. Il il hopeful, stanulat
ing in its tone. and when | read It ! fel
that | had more purpose in my, life an.
: more pride in my. State. ;FelloW-citizene,
as thought. We hayea state. rat in sui
stance. rich in wealth. destined, Ii the pee
pie will aid in its development to occupy
bright place in the councils of4hls great nj
= ton. In this era of pgogresS and prosperity
we want to have our full share. We want
get back to The place from which we ha
= fallen, We want to have happy homes
y abundant harvests, health and wealth. w
= want public education to be extended to tt
poor and illiterate, the UNFORTUNATE to /
= cared for, the sick and the disabled to /
4 nursed and sheltered. For, all these char
y ties our laws provide, and the classes ,whlsc
y seek the protection OF the State multil3,
- IN all our budgets they must be considered
SITUATED as this State is, there is much thu
public government has to do.
= THE POLICY OF II STATE
= ought to be broad, liberal. At the same tin
j that we have a domestic mission. We hay
y foreign relations. With our great river an
y problem With which to deal. Protection
needed, and to bring into useful cqltiyatio
2 an immense territory iii the State. con,
Is dence in the power OF the state g project q
IL that Coy. McEnery inspires that contident
nns by the wise and beneficent measures he Ef
% adopted In his levee policy. his work fs
been systematic and with q purpose 4 plal
= The results speak for his wisdom. ! do n,
y wish to be extrayagant in anything, but VI.
e say that his policy has been cheerful al
e Now, another thing to be considered.
the credit Of the State. The credit of
State is the honor Of the State; the credito
/ of . State deal with It upon the principle
y security for the debt due by q State that
creditor can have. By the value given too
y securities in the great markets OF the world
our credit end our honor measured. Nc tn
3. son OF Louisiana would wish to see 1t to
nished in peace any more than IN war
"a would like to have the word craven applH
to her soldiers.
IL Much has been done TO restore public co
fdenee IN the credit of our State. the non
y of the State has been guarded, the oblig
tons OF the State have been promptly me
Capitalists believe that Gov. McEhsry = So
and sound In his views, and thai the cree
If the State il safe III hlg Keeping.